Display assemblies



Feb. 25, 1964 F. F. BRUNETTE DISPLAY ASSEMBLIES.

Filed oct. s, 1962 INVENTOR. F mdr/'ck E Brunee FIEE.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,122,238 BESPLAY ASSEMBLIES FredrickF. Brunette, Farmington, Mich., assigner to Brilliant ProductsIncorporated, Farmington, Mich., a corporation oi' Michigan Filed ct. S,1952, Ser. No. 229,942 27 Claims. (Cl. 2131-126) The present inventionrelates to devices for displaying articles for sale and moreparticularly to such a device having readily adjustable shelving unitsand means for dividing the shelving units into a number of individualcompartments.

In self service department stores, grocery stores and the lilie a needhas arisen for a single display device which is capable of being used todisplay a variety of articles having varying shapes and sizes and indifferent quantities. Because inventories are constantly changing andnew items are continually being introduced such a device must be readilyadjustable after it has been installed to accommodate the changingquantities and new items being olfered for sale. The display device ofthe present invention meets this need.

it is an object then of the present invention to provide a readilyadjustable display device by providing a simliiied structure havingvertically adjustable shelving units and removable dividers forseparating the shelving units into individual compartments of varyingsizes.

it is yet another object of the present invention to increase theversatility of shelf type display racks by providing such a rack havingvertically adjustable shelving units and removable dividers forseparating the shelving units into individual compartments of varyingsizes.

it is yet another object of the present invention to increase theversatility of shelf type display racks by providing such a rack havinga closed front shelf and being adapted to be abutted against a similaradjacent shelf to provide a multiple lengt compartment for displayinggoods.

it is still another object of the present invention to increase thestrength of display racks having basket type shelves by providing a pairof C-shaped tubular support nembers secured to the underside of theshelf.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention willreadily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertainsupon reference to the following drawings in which like characters referto like parts throughout the several views and in which FG. l is a frontelevational view of a display assembly oi the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially at line2 2 of FlG. l somewhat enlarged and with portions removed for purposesof clarity.

HG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the structure shown inPEG. l enlarged somewhat for purposes of clarity.

FiG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially at line 4 4 of FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view tal-cen substantially at line 55 oiFiG. 2.

lG. 6 is a side elevational View of a divider member of the presentinvention.

Now referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of thepresent invention, EG. l illustrates a preferred assembly as comprisinga plurality of spaced vertically extending parallel framing members l@carrying a plurality of shelving units 11.

As can best be seen in FIG. 2, each of the shelving units il ispreferably substantially C-shaped in lateral cross section and comprisesa substantially horizontal bottom portion 12 preferably constructed oflaterally and longitudinally extending wire members 13a-13b H2238Patented Feb. 25, 1%64 respectively. A similarly constructed frontportion 14 and a back portion 15 are provided angling upwardly from thebottom portion 12 and integral therewith.

A pair of longitudinally spaced substantially C-shaped tubular supportmembers 16 are each secured to the front portion 1d, the bottom portion13 and the back portion 15 of the shelving unit 11 to provide supporttherefor. Each of the support members 1d carries slotted double hookmembers 17 on its end adjacent the back portion 15.

The laterally extending wire members 13a of the bottom portion 12preferably extend as shown to form a part ofthe front portion 1d andback portion 15. Heavier longitudinally extending wire members 14B and15B are provided in the front portion 14 and the back portion 15respectively and substantially parallel to the wire members 13b.

A plurality of pairs of spaced parallel laterally extending wire members19 are provided above and secured to the longitudinally extending wiremembers 15b, 14h and db to form a plurality of laterally extending slots2i?. The wire members 19 are bent inwardly as at liti at spacedintervals to provide retaining tabs at the sides of the slots 2i).

As can best be seen in FIG. 5, one of the slots Ztl is formed at eachend of the shelving unit l1 and a plurality or" preferably equallyspaced slots Ztl are provided intermediate the ends of the shelving unit11. A wire formed divider member 21 as shown in FIG. 6 is adapted to becarried selectively in one of the slots 20.

The framing members l@ are preferably tubular as can best be seen inFiGS. l, 3 and 4, each preferably comprising a base plate 22 adapted tobe secured to the door by bolts or screws (not shown). A verticallyextending flat surface 25 is preferably provided with a plurality ofequally spaced slots 26. The slots Z6 are preferably arranged in a pairof parallel vertically extending rows and are adapted to receive thehook members 17 of adjacent shelving units il as can best be seen inFIG. 4.

FIG. 1 illustrates one of the many possible combinations Which can beproduced by the shelving units 11 and framing members 10 of the presentinvention. By removing the divider members 21 of a number of adjacentshelving units 1l an individual compartment can be produced of anydesired length. The shelving units 11 can be used as separate units byinserting the divider members 2i in the end slots Ztl or it may be usedin cornbination with any number of other shelving units 11. Eachshelving unit 11 may be readily individually removed and placed in a newvertical position on' the framing members 1li. Any number of shelvingunits 11 may be carried on a pair of the framing members 10. Unlikeother shelving units now being used, the divider members 2l do notprovide support for the unit. Instead support is provided by the supportmembers 16 and thus adequate support for the shelving unit 11 isprovided even though no divider members 21 are used.

Although I have described but one embodiment of the present invention,it is apparent that other changes and modifications may be readily madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An assembly for displaying articles for sale and the like comprising(a) a pair of spaced vertically extending frame members,

(b) a shelving unit removably adjustably carried by said framingmembers,

(c) said shelving unit comprising a iiat bottom portion, a baci; portionand a front portion,

(d) a plurality of slots formed in said shelving unit,

(e) each of said slots being provided in said back 3 portion, saidbottom portion and said front portion,

(f) divider members removably carried in said slots,

and

(g) said shelving unit further comprising a pair of spaced substantiallyC shaped support members, each of said support members being secured tosaid back portion, said bottom portion and said front portion.

2. The assembly as defined in claim l and in which (a) said verticallyextending framing members are Vprovided with a plurality oflongitudinally extending slots, and

(b) said shelving unit being provided with a pair of spaced hook membersremovably carried in a pair of said framing member slots.

3. A display container assembly for displaying articles for sale and thelike comprising (a) a pair of spaced vertically extending frame members,

(b) a shelving unit and means for removably adjustably attaching saidshelving unit to said frame members,

(c) said shelving unit comprising a dat bottom portion,

an upwardly extending front portion and an upwardly extending backportion, and a pair of spaced substantially C-shaped support memberseach being secured to said back portion, said bottom portion and saidfront portion.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 3 and in which said support membersare tubular.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 3 and in which said bottom portion,said front portion, and said back portion are constructed of Wiremembers and each oi said support members has a greater cross sectionalarea than the cross sectional area of any one of said wire members.

6. A display container assembly for displaying articles for sale and thelike comprising a plurality of shelving `units and means adapted toremovably adjustably carry said shelving units in an end to end positioneach of said shelving units comprising (a) a flat bottom portion and anupwardly extending back portion each being of a wire construction,

(b) at least a pair of tubular support members in a spaced position andbeing secured to said back portion and said bottom portion, and

(c) said carrying means being attached to said support members.

7. The assembly as deiin'ed in claim 6 and including divider memberscarried by said back portion and said bottom portion.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 6 and including a front portion andextending upwardly from said bottom portion and said support membersalso being secured to said front portion.

9. A display container for displaying articles for sale and the like,said container consisting only of (a) a flat bottom portion and anupwardly extending back portion each of said portions being of a wireconstruction,

(b) a pair of non-Wire support members each being secured to said bottomportion and said back portion and carrying means adapted for attachingsaid container to a slotted framing member or the like, and

(c) divider members removably carried by said back portion and saidbottom portion.

l0. A display container for displaying articles for sale and the likesaid container consisting of (a) a at bottom portion, an upwardlyextending front portion and an upwardly extending back portion eachbeing of a wire construction,

(b) a pair of substantially C-shaped non-Wire support members each beingsecured to said front portion, said bottom portion and said back portionwhereby said back portion and said iront portion are held in arelatively xed position, and

(c) divider members removably carried in a position extending betweensaid front portion and said back portion.

11. An assembly for displaying articles for sale and the likecomprising,

(a) a pair of spaced vertically extending frame members,

(b) a shelving unit removably adjustably carried by said framingmembers,

(c) said shelving unit comprising a bottom portion,

an upwardly extending back portion and an upwardly extending frontportion,

(d) said shelving unit further comprising wire members being closelyspaced in pairs and extending from the upper edge of said back portionthrough said bottom portion and to the upper edge of said front portionto deiine a plurality of slots, and

(e) divider members removably carried in said slots.

l2. The assembly as dened in claim 1l and including wire membersdisposed beneath said slot forming wire members and secured thereto,said last mentioned Wire members extending substantially normal to saidslot forming Wire members.

13. The assembly as deiined in claim 1l and in which (a) said verticallyextending frame members are provided with a plurality of longitudinalspaced and longitudinally extending slots, and

(b) said shelving unit being provided with a pair of spaced hook membersremovably carried in a pair of said framing member slots.

14. The assembly as defined in claim ll and in which said shelving unitfurther comprises a pair of spaced substantially `C shaped supportmembers, each of said support members being secured to said backportion, said bottom portion and said front portion.

15. The assembly as defined in claim l2 and in which at least one oisaid last mentioned wire members is provided in each of said backportion, said bottom portion and said iront portion and in which saidshelving unit further comprises a pair of substantially C shaped supportmembers, each of said support members being secured to each of said lastmentioned wire members in a position spaced inwardly from the endsthereof.

16. An assembly for displaying articles and the like comprising (a) atleast three spaced parallel vertically extending framing members,

(b) each of said framing members being provided with at least one slotand the framing member disposed intermediate the other two of saidframing members being provided With at least a pair of laterally spacedslots,

(c) a iirst shelving member removably carried in the slot of one of saidframing members and one of said slots of the intermediate framingmember,

(d) a second shelving unit carried in the slot of the other of saidframing members and the other of said slots of the intermediate framingmember,

(e) each of said shelving units being substantially C- shaped in lateralsection and having open ends,

(f) said shelving units being carried in substantially abuttingrelationship, and

(g) said shelving units including laterally extending slots and dividermembers removably carried in said slots, and

(l1) each of said shelving units further comprising a substantially`C-shaped support member and hook means carried by said support memberand engaging in said framing member slots.

l7. An assembly for displaying articles and the like comprising (a) atleast three spaced parallel vertically extending framing members,

(b) each of said framing members being provided with at least one sietand the framing member disposed intermediate the other two of saidframing members being provided with at least a pair of laterally spacedslots,

(c) a first shelving member removably carried in the slot of one of saidframing members and one of said slots of the intermediate framingmember,

(d) a second shelving unit carried in the slot of the other of saidrarning members and the other of said slots of tbe intermediate framingmember, and

(e) said shelving units further comprising a substantiaily C-sbapedsupport member and hook means carried by said support member andengaging in said framing member slots.

18. A display container for displaying articles for sale and the likecomprising (a) a flat bottom portion and an upwardly extending backportion,

(b) a pair of support members each being secured to said bottom portionand said back portion and extending from closely adjacent tbe upper edgeof said baci; portion and beneath said bottom portion whereby saidcontainer is supported on top of said support members, and

(c) means carried by said support members adapted to removablyadjustably attach said container to a framing member or the like.

19. The container as defined in claim 18 and including removable dividermembers carried by said back portion and said a bottom portion.

20, A display container for displaying articles for sale and the likecomprising (a) a flat bottom portion and an upwardly extending backportion,

(b) a pair of support members each being secured to said bottom portionand said back portion and each being spaced inwardly from the ends ofsaid display container, and

(c) means carried by said support members adapted to removablyadjustably attach said container to a framing member.

21. A display container for displaying articles for sale and the likecomprising (a) a flat bottom portion and an upwardly extending backportion,

(b) a pair of support members each being carried in a position spacedinwardly from the ends of said container and extending from closelyadjacent the upback portion and beneath said botper edge of sain tomportion,

(c) means carried by said support members adapted to removablyadjustably attach said container to a framing member or the like.

22. The container as defined in claim 3 and in which (a) said bottomportion, said front portion and said back portion are constructed ofwire members, and

(b) caen of said support members being secured to at least some of saidwire members and extending from closely adjacent the upper edge of saidback portion beneath said bottom portion to a point closely adjacenttile upper edge of said front portion.

23. The container as defined in claim 3 and in which said supportmembers are each spaced inwardly from the ends of said container.

24. The container as deiined in claim 3 and in which (a) said bottomportion, and said back portion are constructed of wire members, and

(b) each of said support members being secured to at least some of saidwire members and extending from closely adjacent the upper edge of saidback portion beneath said bottom portion to a point closely adjacent theupper edge of said front portion,

(c) each of said support members being spaced inwardly from the ends ofsaid container.

25. A display container for displaying articles for sale and the likecomprising (a) a r'lat bottom portion, an upwardly extending backportion, and an upwardly extending front portion,

(b) a pair of support members eacb` being secured to at least said backportion and said bottom portion,

(c) said support members each extending from said back portion andbeneath said bottom portion, and

(d) means carried by said support members adapted to removablyadjustabiy attach said container to a framing member or the like.

26. The container as defined in claim 25 and in which each of saidsupport members is spaced inwardly from the ends of said container.

27. The assembly as dened in claim 1l and in which said pairs of wiremembers are provided with closely adjacent upwardly bent portionsretaining said dividers.

Referenees Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,868,391 Sides Ian. 13, 1959 2,891,678 Levy June 23, 1959 2,982,423Handler May 2, 1961

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR DISPLAYING ARTICLES FOR SALE AND THE LIKE COMPRISING(A) A PAIR OF SPACED VERTICALLY EXTENDING FRAME MEMBERS, (B) A SHELVINGUNIT REMOVABLY ADJUSTABLY CARRIED BY SAID FRAMING MEMBERS, (C) SAIDSHELVING UNIT COMPRISING A FLAT BOTTOM PORTION, A BACK PORTION AND AFRONT PORTION, (D) A PLURALITY OF SLOTS FORMED IN SAID SHELVING UNIT,